and my February Birchbox review!
But first, I should apologize for my absence over the last month. I’ve been a really bad blogger and totally caught up in moving, unpacking, and the absolute craziness of my day job. No more excuses! I’m unpacked and mostly settled – and my new place even has room for a sweet vanity setup which I can’t wait to show you once it’s all organized!
So… This month’s Birchbox was seriously amazing. Smashbox is one of my favorite brands, and I had a total “SQUEE” moment when I discovered not one, but TWO of their products in my box this month. Check it out:
I went for a romantic look using a few of the matte shades and one of the shimmers – I’ve got a tutorial for you below. If you’ve got very fair skin, you may want to use M1 in place of M7, and M6 in place of M1. If you’ve got darker skin, you may want to smudge some M7 in with your M1 to darken the shade. As always, layer concealer or an eyeshadow primer underneath the shadow to give it serious staying power, and to bring out the richness of the pigments.
I did some light contouring to define my cheekbones and added a subtle pink blush to the apples of my cheeks. I also used the M1 to fill in my brows, and finished the look with a flirty pink gloss.
Going from Day to Date? In the morning, use M1 to line your upper lashes, and don’t line your lower lashes at all. Skip the brow bone shimmer and the gloss, and be sure to pack your palette in your bag. Before you head out, add the shimmer to your brow bone, line your upper lashes with M7, and smudge some M1 into your lower lash line. Get ready to bat those lashes at your date!
Now for the reviews!
Smashbox Full Exposure Palette: Rich pigments with intense staying power, and enough shades to be the one eye makeup you pack for your next trip.
Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara: Close competitor to my favorite They’re Real. Applies smoothly and doesn’t clump.
Coola Tinted Matte SPF 30 for Face: If you’re blessed with flawless skin, the sheer coverage this provides will be just right for you. I’m red, blotchy, and scarred… so I need a bit more coverage than this offered.
Ruby Wing Color Changing Polish in Kitten Heels: So cool! The polish itself is terrific, but the color-change requires a lot of time in direct sunlight. I’ll probably get a lot more use out of this in the summer.
Beauty Protector Protect & Oil: So, yeah, this product bumped my current oil off the shelf. I use this wet and dry to keep my hair silky soft and frizz free. I’ve already bought my full size.
What samples did you try this month? Let me know what you loved in the comments below!
So good to see you back! Our boxes were so different! I’m still waiting to get the beauty protector oil … can’t wait to try that one!
Omg you will love it!! I use the protect and Detangle spray and the oil and my hair is so soft, it’s amazing. What was in your box?
A shampoo / conditioner, strivectin skin treatment and this face illuminating moisturizer. All fun stuff